"Forgotten"—A TFP Fan Fiction

Summary: Gira is taught a lesson that will stick with her for life; then she and Orion make a life-long promise.

Rated: M overall for violence, some future gore, and sexual content.

**This chapter is rated T for minor sensitive material**

Transformers characters © Hasbro

Gira © Me

PART TWO: REMEMBER

Chapter 10—The Vow

When I regained consciousness hours later, I first felt the cool surface of a medical berth, and heard the sound of monitors clicking and beeping. It didn't take me long to realize I was in the medical facility, in my own room.

My head felt groggy and heavy, so I didn't hurry to wake and sit up to look around. Everything was clean and fresh, like it hadn't been tampered with. I saw a tube in my arm pumping Energon into my body. I noticed I was entirely alone in the room. No other patients were with me. Was I even in the medical facility? Had I been placed in some asylum? I fully remember what happened cycles ago, when I unleashed my rage on those two fragging bullies. Did they think I was crazy? Did they not know my actions were for good intentions, to protect my Onny?

I felt scared and began to panic, crying out in hope that someone would hear me. Not long after, as I was crying, Ratchet entered with a gentle expression on his face. I couldn't help but get the feeling that he was forcing that look, and that he was truly afraid of me for what happened. I wouldn't blame him. I was almost scared of myself.

"Hello, miss Gira," he said kindly as he decontaminated his servos. "I see you've finally woken up." As if sensing my discomfort, he revealed a little doll from his belt and handed it to me. "Alpha Trion told me of your little outburst at school this morning," he added while checking my vital signs on the monitor. "He is rather…concerned about you, Gira."

I stopped cuddling the doll to look at him. "Why?" I asked innocently, tilting my head a little. "I didn't do anything wrong, those dumb bullies did." I gasped, remembering what Firearm and Gunner had done, and began to fret again. "Onny! Where's my Onny?! Is he okay?! Is he still hurting?!"

"Calm down, Gira," Ratchet told me, resting a hand on my shaking shoulder. "Orion is just fine. I fixed his broken antenna; his full hearing will return in a few days. He is resting at the moment and will return to the orphanage before nightfall, and so will you. And once you return, your Teacher would like a word with you."

Just as I had sighed of relief, I tensed up again. What could Teacher want? Was he going to punish me? Send me away? Keep me locked up in a room of my own, away from my Onny? Ratchet saw my distress and gave me Energon to drink, but I was so nervous that I purged it back up not long after.

Later that evening, Ratchet personally delivered me back to the orphanage; he would come back a second time with Orion. He carried me to Alpha Trion and placed me in his waiting arms. Teacher and the medic said their farewells, and then he took me to his office, sitting me down in a chair across from his work station. I shifted uncomfortably on the cold chair, avoiding Alpha Trion's optics. Then he began his interrogation.

"Gira," he said calmly, but to my audio receptors it sounded deadly, "I understand you have difficult time controlling your anger, but your actions today were very concerning for me. I want to know exactly what happened. Do you remember any of it?"

I kept my gaze to the floor and shivered; I felt nervous to answer truthfully, so I didn't speak truthfully. I never knew it would lead me to learn a rather important life lesson for me. "O-Only a little…" I muttered.

"A little?" Alpha Trion repeated. "What do you remember?"

"T-Telling those dumb bullies to stop hurting Onny…"

"That is all? You do not remember physically and verbally assaulting them?"

"No…" I answered meekly.

Alpha Trion caught the taint of anxiety in my voice and raised an optic ridge. "Gira, you are not lying to me, are you?"

I perked up with a gasp, fear visible in my optics, and shook my head. "No, no! I-I'm not!" I felt my spark race as I frantically searched for a way out. I had never lied before and it scared me. I knew I was in trouble as I fought to hold back tears.

Alpha Trion wrinkled his ridges, a serious look on his face plate. "Gira," he spoke in a threatening tone.

That terrified me and I broke. "OKAY!" I screamed, hiding my face in my hands. "I do remember! I remember it all! But I only did it so they could stop hurting my Onny! No one else was going to help him! I didn't want anyone hurting my friend!"

Teacher sighed and rose from his desk as I continued to cry. "Gira," he said, "I understand you acted out with good intentions, but it was still very wrong. You do not attack another student, even if they are hurting someone you care about. You report it to me, and you let me handle it. I understand you have had a very difficult past, but that is no excuse to lash out at others." I sniffled and looked briefly at him through teary optics. I was so sure that it was an excuse, especially since I couldn't control my emotions that well. He added, "I am going to have to punish you; not just for your actions, but for lying as well." I stiffened, gripping the edges of my seat. "You will remain in the girls' private quarters without evening rations."

I gasped. Was he thinking of starving me?! I could feel the horrid memories pounding at the back of my head of all the times I went hungry, nearly dying from it. I didn't want to go through that feeling again. I whimpered and shook my head. "No…no, no…"

"Do not assume I am punishing you out of spite, Gira, like your carriers," Teacher continued, his tone still firm but also gentle, "but because I care for you. Lying is a very bad thing. If you lie to me, then how can I trust you?"

I listened very carefully to what he had just said. Lying is wrong. If you lie, you can't be trusted. That was what I heard. That lesson stuck with me for the rest of my life.

That night, I laid in my berth, trying to ignore the sounds of my growling fuel tank, and often looking around to see if the noise awoke any of the sleeping femmes around me. I tried thinking of my Onny. Was he back yet? Was he alright? My prayers were answered when I heard his voice from the hall. Ecstatic, I hurried to the door, slowly opening it, and peeked out into the hallway. I saw Teacher leading Orion, who had a bandage wrapped around his injured antenna, to the mechling's private quarters. Once Teacher left, I thought about sneaking in to see my Onny; although, the thought of more punishments did come to mind.

But I made my decision, snuck into the mechling's quarters, and searched for Orion's berth. He was barely asleep when I found him, and at the sound of my voice he opened his optics and sat up.

"Oh, Onny…!" I whispered, my optics shimmering with glee. "Thank goodness you're safe…!" However, while I was overjoyed to see him, he didn't look so happy to see me. In fact, he looked…afraid. This broke my spark; I didn't want him to be afraid of me. If he was afraid, then we couldn't be together and be friends, and then he couldn't protect me.

"A...Are you s-scared of me…?" I whimpered, blinking tears and hiccupping.

He must have seen my tears and panicked for an answer. "N-No!" he said. "I j-just don't want T-Teacher to find you in h-here…Y-You might get i-in to trouble…" He tried shushing me so I wouldn't wake the others with my crying. Then he reached out and petted my head. That made me look up with a sniff to see him smiling comfortingly, and he invited me onto his berth. I cuddled him close, feeling his warmth. I secretly eyed his bandaged antenna.

"I hate them…" I whispered.

"Who?" Orion asked.

"Those fragging bullies…I fragging hate them…"

"Gee, shh! You can't say words like that…"

"But it's true. They hurt you really bad, and they made a huge mistake. But don't worry. I don't think they'll hurt you ever again. And if they do, I'll bite their heads off." Orion giggled softly, probably thinking I was being funny.

Silence fell between us for a long moment. I thought Orion had fallen asleep, until I spoke, "Onny? We're…friend right?"

"Hmm? Yeah, we're friends."

"Best of friends…?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Then…can you promise me something?"

"What is it?" he asked.

"Promise me…Promise that you won't ever forget me? I don't…I don't want to lose the only friend I have…"

Orion blinked at me, then smiled his that I most adore and held my hand. "You kidding? I'd never forget you."

I perked up, a hopeful gaze in my optics. "So, you promise?"

"Yeah, I promise."

I too grinned giddily and hugged him. Then, I became serious. "Good," I said, "because if you do, I'll rip your arms and legs off. So you'd better not lie to me."

Orion giggled again. "You're so cute," he said, poking my cheek. "Don't worry, I'm not lying. I won't break my promise." I believed in him and smiled, gave him a hug, and crept back to the femme's private quarters.

In the present, I still don't know if he is being fully honest about not knowing me. That is the only reason why I haven't yet fulfilled my vow to dismember him.